Luke 7:36-50
Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman
36 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”
40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.
41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”
“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”
48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49 The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Each of us view different people differently...And in this context a question is ask by Jesus, "Do you see this woman?"...Some people we just tend to overlook, for different reasons...One reason might be we want to avoid different people...This woman definitely was definitely out of place...Don't everyone see her, she is making a commotion over Jesus' feet...How could she not be seen?...And it even appears the owner of the house doesn't quite know how she got in his house...Why is she in the house?...Isn't she a social outcast?...What does each of us see in different people and in our differing neighbors?...Do we sometimes, just see right through some people?...
From the eyes of Jesus, He sees no social outcasts...Jesus was always connecting to different people...Jesus connects to all people everywhere...He sees all of us...He is able to talk to and teach complete strangers, because of His LOVE...He connects with all people, and listens, has empathy for all, always forgiving, and is full of grace...Jesus is personal...He is not upset at all with the woman who is at His feet...
The Pharisees did not understand why a woman would anoint Jesus with an alabaster jar of perfume and why she would be paying so much attention to His feet...They are thinking, "What is she doing?"...Could it be that she might feel that she was showing who He is, and by anointing Him everyone then knows who He is?...Maybe she is showing all of us how great He is by this anointment, and we are the ones who do not understand...And all the while knowing she is weeping and understanding that He is who He says He is...Could she know "How Great Thou Art?"...And is it possible that she is the only one in the group and in the whole house that knows that Jesus is the Messiah?...Could she be clearly seeing the Son of God in her presence, while others are missing that?...Is it possible we can learn something from an outcast?...